The Revolution Will Not Be Televised...but you might find it on the internet

For clarification: The grassroots call to action is not a SunConjunctVenus sponsored event, and is not affiliated with the production of "A Nation of Gods". We have posted this as a means of support and an avenue for action for our brothers and sisters at THE TALKING DRUM and "Hands Off Assata"!!! For information on this call to action please contact The Talking Drum collective directly...





Grassroots Call to Action/Action Alert Campaign

The Talking Drum Collective will be launching its Grassroots Call to Action/Action Alert Campaign. We are asking for the Unity and collaboration of all Afrocentric, activist, and grassroots organizations websites, mailing list, news services, individuals, and etc. to get involved with Grassroots Call to Action/Action Alert Campaign.

What is the Grassroots Call to Action/Action Alert Campaign?
Each month we will issue a "Call to Action" that addresses some problem that plagues the poor, disenfranchised, wrongfully imprisoned, undereducated, unemployed, culturally broken and politically destitute. If you believe in the spirit of ACTION and the POWER of PEOPLE, we ask you to join us.

What is required to help?
To be considered a supporter of this effort you must comply with the rules below, if you are a/an:

Websites: Carry one of the many Grassroots Call to Action/Action Alert Campaign banners and/or create one that directs traffic to the Grassroots Call to Action/Action Alert Campaign webpage (listed at the top).

Organizations: Have membership follow the directions of the Grassroots Call to Action/Action Alert Campaign.

Mailing List and/or News Service: Carry Our Grassroots Call to Action/Action Alert Campaign Emails.

Individuals: Follow the directions of the Grassroots Call to Action/Action Alert Campaign.

Extra ways to help: Promote and recruit other to participate in the Grassroots Call to Action/Action Alert Campaign.

All please keep in mind the most important aspect of the Grassroots Call to Action/Action Alert Campaign is to the ACTION component.

How will I be counted?
The Grassroots Call to Action/Action Alert Campaign webpage and The Talking Drum Collective Newsletter Grassroots Call to Action/Action Alert Campaign Issue will carry all supporters. In order to track the success or shortcomings of our collective progress there will be a place for participants to give feedback so organizing effectiveness can be determined.


SUPPORT THE GRASSROOTS CALL TO ACTION/ACTION ALERTS CAMPAIGN


Who is The Talking Drum Collective?
The Talking Drum Collective is a collective of organizers and website owners who have came together in the spirit Unity for the upliftment of Afrikan People. Over the years we have become the premier Afrikan informational websites. Some of the more popular websites include: TheTalkingDrum.Com (The Talking Drum); AssataShakur.Org, which is currently engaged in the Hands Off Assata Campaign; and Afrikan.Net, who constantly updates mailing list with information about Political Prisoners and other issues. Though these sites are the most popular all of the collective sites are notable. Why the talking drum symbol? During the 1800's the talking drum was banned throughout most of the western hemisphere, for fear of unregulated communication amongst Afrikan People and for fear of coordinated rebellions, due to its ability to communicate with Our People in code and great distances. In the spirit of the talking drum we communicate to Our People information, pride, and hope. The collective is used to create a United Front for Our People to effectively fight as one.

The Talking Drum Collective's Family Of Sites:
www.TheTalkingDrum.Com – The Talking Drum, The Largest Afrikan Informational Site
www.AssataShakur.Org – Dedication site Sis. Queen Assata Shakur, Hands Off Assata Campaign
www.AssataShakur.Org/forum/ - Largest Afrikan based Discussion Board
www.RootsAndRooted.Org – Afrikan Traditional Relgion
www.FTPmovement.com – FTP Movement
www.PanAfrican.TV – Free Library of Audio/Video of Our Leaders/Educators
www.Afrikan.Net – Afrikan Centered New Service
www.PositivelyBlack.net – Official Junious Ricardo Stanton website
www.HedrushLLC.com – Official site for Tahir
www.BlackAugust.Net – Official Black August Website
www.FuckThePolice.TV – The Revolutionary Rap Group FTP
www.AhsheEtc.Com – Afrikan Centered New Service
www.Ag-East.Org – Afrikan Centered New Service
www.BlackMic.Com – Black Mic Online Radio
www.TheDrum.Org – Coming Soon, The Talking Drum Collective site
www.AssataShakur.Net – Mirror site to AssataShakur.Org,
www.FTPdesigns.Com – Web Design and Development
www.BirthofaNation.TV – Coming Very Soon, Official Site for Birth Of A Naiton Mixtape (hosted by M1 of Dead Prez & Tahir)
www.HandsOffAssata.Net – Hands Off Assata Campaign
www.POCConline.com – Coming Soon, POCC organizational page



SUPPORT THE GRASSROOTS CALL TO ACTION/ACTION ALERTS CAMPAIGN


For more information contact Atlanta@thedrum.org

Mission

Friends:

A year ago we embarked on a miraculous journey that began with one simple question, “Where are the Gods today?” When I set out to research the organization, what I discovered thereafter was pretty astounding. Today, all over the world the NATION OF GODS & EARTHS still stand strong but continue to be beleaguered and often misunderstood by misinformation, and in many cases extremist propaganda being made readily available to the general public.

The Nation, its founders and members have been called everything from black nationalists to hate mongers to a criminal gang. This is certainly not the movement I remember as a young woman growing up on the streets of Far Rockaway Queens and East New York Brooklyn. In fact, if you were to ask an African American person between the ages of 25-45 who have been exposed to the true doctrine on any level, the viewpoint might be entirely different.

The Nation of Gods and Earths have a unique history that influenced most of us who grew up in the ghetto – whether or not you converted or agreed completely. The average person does not know that the movement advanced primarily on the principles of the first amendment, or that Father Allah obtained the school in Harlem with the help of Mayor John Lindsay - and I hope to do the Nation justice by telling another side of the story.

At the height of the crack epidemic and failed social services systems, the messages offered by Father Allah; Clarence 13X Smith, were far-reaching for a Diaspora of people ignored by the mainstream. We will take you back in time - New York City circa 1964 – to a powerful movement whose contributions can be linked directly with the birth of the Hip-Hop culture. This documentary goes inside an urban political faction that has essentially promoted itself for more than four decades solely through the channels of self expression and urban youth.

I, along with some of my very talented production friends, have endeavored to shine some light on the overlooked, missed, and misunderstood elements of the story. What began as a modest start from the streets of Harlem, NY soon spread rapidly over the nation and was grounded firmly on the principles that built America; freedom of speech, and the divine right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

In the coming weeks, we will be reaching out to ask you to help us document this incredible story. If we don’t find you, please feel free to contact us at NOGProducers@yahoo.com. In the meantime, be well and be blessed.

Peace,
Trina Love-Perrineau

The Producers

Trina Love-Perrineau - Writer/Producer
Trina, impassioned writer and producer of "A Nation of Gods" lends her vision, resources, and personal experiences to the development of the film.

Trina has a diverse range of experience in different media outlets, including music, magazines, television and film. Her film credits include support roles in notable films such as "Drumline" (Fox 2000 Pictures/Directed by Charles Stone), "Motives" (Rainforest Films 2003/Vivica A. Fox, Shemar Moore) "With All Deliberate Speed" (Discovery Channel/Directed by Peter Gilbert (HoopDreams), "Journalists: Killed in the Line of Duty" (TRIO/ feat. Anderson Cooper, Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather, and the late Peter Jennings).

She has also served as a committee juror for the New York Film Expo; and in 2004, she coordinated the ballot for the Board of Governor elections at NATAS (National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences; Daytime, US & regional Emmys) Trina currently works on editorial projects for Rodale Publishing in New York city.


Kate Cunningham - Consulting Producer
Katie, a multi-talented visionary, brings her passion and excitement for telling stories that destroy the imaginary lines drawn by different cultures to this production.

Kate Cunningham is an independent documentary filmmaker who has done extensive fieldwork in Brazil. Credits include: Producer “Inside the Bubble- Life on the Kerry Campaign trail”; Coordinating Producer, “With All Deliberate Speed” (Official selection Tribeca Film festival/Discovery Channel) Directed by Peter Gilbert (Hoop Dreams) ; Associate Producer, “Journalists: Killed in the Line of Duty'” (TRIO);‘”Decisions that Shook the World” (Discovery), Editor, “Epiphany in Progress” (PBS); Co-Producer "God's Son EPK-Nas" (Sony Music); Consulting Editor "Take Me to the River"; She is currently a developer/producer for Projectile Arts.

Katie is also working on her extraordinary documentary film "Terra Livre". Terra Livre (Free Land) is a film about the struggle, strength, and organization of a cooperative farm in southern Brazil developed and supported by the Landless Workers Movement (Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra, MST). www.projectilearts.org


Keisha Wooten - Associate Producer
Keisha lends her keen communication and shrewd critical thinking skills to the foundation of the production.

Keisha is currently an Associate Producer for the VOOM Network, the first and most complete provider of high definition television programming. She works in the office and from the field on Rush HD programming, a new network dedicated to high action extreme sports; BMX biking, kite-boarding, racing, high velocity surfing. Prior to working for VOOM, Keisha worked as Talent Coordinator for the 2005 African American Women in Cinema Film Festival, working with A-List talent such as Cicely Tyson, Miguel Nunez, Robin Givens, Rosanna DeSoto and many more. In 2003 Ms. Wooten worked as Associate Producer for the independent film "Scorn". Earlier that year she also worked as Talent/Production Manager on the feature film "Destination Fame" starring R&B star Mario and musical icon Joe Jackson.

Keisha is also working on her documentary entitled "Hold My Hand", an intimate look at woman of color and their intricate relationships with their fathers.

What's up with the name?

SunConjunctVenus Works, Inc.
- A completely different kind of work

Huh?
Sun (You)
Conjunct (Alignment)
Venus (Love, Harmony, Beauty)

In the Science of our heavens - commonly known as astrology - the Sun represents the ego or the individual personality; this is why when someone wants to know about you they might ask “What's your sun-sign?” Similarly, the planet Venus is the guardian of Love and symbolizes all that is harmonious and beautiful in the cosmos. A conjunction (unification, mergence) is a powerful occurrence that happens when two planets occupy the same longitudal position. When the Sun and Venus are said to be forming a conjunction - the formidable energies that govern those planets are angeled in a profound way. In other words, we believe that when the personality is well aligned with the energies of love, harmony and beauty we will all “work” differently.

SunConjunctVenus Works, Inc. is dedicated to establishing a new model for enterprise; a model that evades conventional ways of working, industry and doing business in entertainment and the arts. We avoid any attitude or orientation that invites the survival of the fittest in the rat race theory. In our model, there is no rat race because "if you win, you're still a rat".

Through each of our individually unique gifts, we will develop and advance creative projects that speak to the human spirit, and those that foster greater understanding and unity; particularly in minority cultures.

Currently, "the works" are intellectual properties which include a documentary film entitled "A Nation of Gods", currently in pre-production; and two non-fiction books in development.

Pork Knockers?

Over the last couple of weeks, we've talked to a number of different non-5% African American people- both young and old- about their personal experiences with the Nation of Gods and Earths, and there is one particular family of responses that has come back with such overwhelming consistency, I've actually considered changing the name of this film.

"Oh the guys that don't eat pork?"; "I never converted because I like pork too much"; "A pig ain't never done nothing to me".

Surely an entire movement that won converts by the hundreds of thousands would be grounded in a theology that goes deeper than a pig? Yes? No? Have the Gods & Earths somehow fallen short of conveying what they were truly all about? Are we all really that ignorant? Can we buy a clue? Why are they so against the pig? Why are they so against the pig? "Why are they so against the pig?" Does the love of bacon preclude any fundamental understanding of what the Gods taught so passionately? What has the pig ever done to me? What has the pig ever done to me?

What has a pig ever done to me?

Q & A

Peace-

We decided to put up answers to some of the more frequent questions that have been coming in. Hope this helps...


Q - Why do you want to do this?

A - As a young woman, the Nation of Gods and Earths played a significant role in my life. Its influences in my adult life and in our culture are unmistakable, but we never hear about that side of things. We only hear about the brothers that are in prison, and about things that are pretty much dogmatic. We're going after another angle. Also, we intend to reveal a direct correlation between the 5% movement and the birth of HipHop culture.

Q - How much will yall pay me for my story?

A - Zero. Sorry. We're shooting an independent documentary, and there is no budget to pay for something like that. But even if we were a major theater company with big bucks, there still wouldn't be an allotment for that. Even documentaries scheduled for major theatrical releases don't pay for interviews and personal stories. They pay for talent, which are usually actors in a union. We hope you, like many others, will decide to share your story because you want too and because you believe this is important for people, and future generations to see.

Q - When is it coming out?

A - We are currently in the pre-production stage of the film. While we're still in pre-production and production, there's no way to know that, and we've been working hard. It is considered to be a work in progress. At the time, we don't have major distribution. But we'll make sure that you are the first to know whenever it screens anywhere.

Q - Are you or were you ever in the 5% Nation?

A - No. Although I have had family ties and close personal relationships with members of the Nation of Gods and Earths, I have never personally converted, or claimed to be a member. None of the immediate producers have. But I think this is what makes us uniquely qualified to be telling this story in a non-subjective voice.

Q - Can I Help?

A - Yes, yes, yes! Your home videos, photos, stories, insights, and energy is exactly what is making this so special. And we're a small team. Please send an email to NOGProducers@yahoo.com. Especially if you have production experience.


Q - Do you know what you're getting yourself into? This is a major undertaking.

A - Yep. We realize the leg-work, and that there are some who really don't want to see this happen. But, I've heard from a higher source that this is already written.


I can't say thank you enough for the mountains of encouragement and support we've been getting. Until next time, Be well, and Be blessed,

Trina Love-Perrineau